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Fire levels mobile home in North Lebanon

Despite the homeowner's own efforts, the two-alarm blaze brought down the home on North Seventh Street

By JEREMY LONGLebanon Daily News

Updated:
02/10/2013 10:44:05 AM EST

SUNSET - A two-alarm fire that firefighters classified as particularly dangerous to battle destroyed a mobile home in North Lebanon Township on Saturday.

Rita and Fred Morrissey, the owners of the house at 1730 N. Seventh St., and their dog escaped uninjured from the blaze, which started shortly after 11 a.m.

Fred Morrissey tried to keep the blaze at bay with a garden hose until crews arrived, explained George Gettler, chief of Rural Security Fire Co.

'When we first got here we had smoke showing on the southeast side of the trailer and fire showing through the wall in the back where the chimney is connected to a wood burner," Gettler said.

As flames shoot out, two firefighters stand beside a newly cut hole in the roof of 1730 N. Seventh St. in North Lebanon Township on Saturday. (LEBANON DAILY NEWS JEREMY LONG)

Fire crews had a tough time battling the blaze because the home had multiple roofs, he added.

"It started off as a trailer and was added on to at least two times, maybe three times," he said. "The original tin roof was really messing us up. It appears there was a rain roof put on top of the tin roof and then, when the additions were built, those roofs were put on over the rain roof. There was air space and dead space, and the fire was traveling everywhere."

The fire had free rein of the roof space, Gettler said, which made it difficult and extremely dangerous for firefighters to battle.

"(Fire crews) would make a hole on the inside and put water one place, and when they would turn around, the fire was coming through behind them," he said.

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"Then they would go there, and the fire would come out someplace else. It was jumping around all over the place."

When asked if it was a more hazardous fire to fight than most, Gettler responded: "Yes, absolutely. When fires are hidden, they can go anywhere they want."

Crews also had to deal with temperatures in the 30s and gusty winds. They started to get a handle on the flames once they set up the ladder truck from Ebenezer and were able to pour water through the holes firefighters cut in the roof.

Chuck Killian of the Lebanon County Firefighters Association hands out coffee to firefighters during a break in their efforts at 1730 N. Seventh St. in North Lebanon Township on Saturday. Firefighters from nine companies were on the scene for about four hours. (LEBANON DAILY NEWS JEREMY LONG)

In addition to the home's occupants, there were no firefighter injuries, which is some of the best news a fire chief like Gettler could receive after battling a blaze such as this.

"The best thing is everybody goes home safe," he said. "That's what we want. All the firemen go home to their families tonight."

After talking with the homeowner and county fire marshal, Gettler said, he believes the fire started in the ceiling right at the chimney for the wood burner. A damage estimate was not available Saturday night, but Gettler said the home likely is a total loss.

North Seventh Street was shut down between Kochenderfer Road and Eighth Street until fire crews left the scene at 3 p.m.

As smoke begins to engulf him, a firefighter rests in the yard of 1730 N. Seventh St. in North Lebanon Township on Saturday. (LEBANON DAILY NEWS JEREMY LONG)